Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) X. Zhang, Ed.
Request for Comments: 8359 Huawei Technologies
Updates: 3471, 3473, 6205 V. Beeram, Ed.
Category: Standards Track Juniper Networks
ISSN: 2070-1721 I. Bryskin
Huawei Technologies
D. Ceccarelli
Ericsson
O. Gonzalez de Dios
Telefonica
March 2018
Network-Assigned Upstream Label
Abstract
This document discusses a Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching
(GMPLS) Resource reSerVation Protocol with Traffic Engineering
(RSVP-TE) mechanism that enables the network to assign an upstream
label for a bidirectional Label Switched Path (LSP). This is useful
in scenarios where a given node does not have sufficient information
to assign the correct upstream label on its own and needs to rely on
the downstream node to pick an appropriate label. This document
updates RFCs 3471, 3473, and 6205 as it defines processing for a
special label value in the UPSTREAM_LABEL object.
Status of This Memo
This is an Internet Standards Track document.
This document is a product of the Internet Engineering Task Force
(IETF). It represents the consensus of the IETF community. It has
received public review and has been approved for publication by the
Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG). Further information on
Internet Standards is available in Section 2 of RFC 7841.
Information about the current status of this document, any errata,
and how to provide feedback on it may be obtained at
https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8359.
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RFC 8359 Network Assigned Upstream-Label March 2018
This document defines the protocol mechanism to be used in such
scenarios. This mechanism enables a given node to offload the task
of assigning the upstream label for a given bidirectional LSP to
nodes downstream in the network. It is meant to be used only for
bidirectional LSPs that assign symmetric labels at each hop along the
path of the LSP. Bidirectional Lambda Switch Capable (LSC) LSPs use
symmetric lambda labels (format specified in [RFC6205]) at each hop
along the path of the LSP.
As per the bidirectional LSP setup procedures specified in [RFC3471]
and [RFC3473], the UPSTREAM_LABEL object must indicate a label that
is valid for forwarding. This document updates that by allowing the
UPSTREAM_LABEL object to indicate a special label that isn't valid
for forwarding. As per the bidirectional LSC LSP setup procedures
specified in [RFC6205], the LABEL_SET object and the UPSTREAM_LABEL
object must contain the same label value. This document updates that
by allowing the UPSTREAM_LABEL object to carry a special label value
that is different from the one used in the LABEL_SET object.
2. Requirements Language
The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
"SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "NOT RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and
"OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in
BCP 14 [RFC2119] [RFC8174] when, and only when, they appear in all
capitals, as shown here.
3. Unassigned Upstream Label
This document defines a special label value -- "0xFFFFFFFF" (for a
4-octet label) -- to indicate an Unassigned Upstream Label. Similar
"all-ones" patterns are expected to be used for labels of other
sizes.
0 1 2 3
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1|
| ... |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
Figure 1: Unassigned UPSTREAM_LABEL - "all-ones" Pattern
The presence of this value in the UPSTREAM_LABEL object of a Path
message indicates that the upstream node has not assigned an upstream
label on its own and has requested the downstream node to provide a
label that it can use in both the forward and reverse directions.
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RFC 8359 Network Assigned Upstream-Label March 2018
The presence of this value in the UPSTREAM_LABEL object of a Path
message MUST also be interpreted by the receiving node as a request
to mandate symmetric labels for the LSP.
3.1. Procedures
The scope of the procedures is limited to the exchange and processing
of messages between an upstream node and its immediate downstream
node. The Unassigned Upstream Label is used by an upstream node when
it is not in a position to pick the upstream label on its own. In
such a scenario, the upstream node sends a Path message downstream
with an Unassigned Upstream Label and requests the downstream node to
provide a symmetric label. If the upstream node desires to make the
downstream node aware of its limitations with respect to label
selection, it MUST specify a list of valid labels via the LABEL_SET
object as specified in [RFC3473].
In response, the downstream node picks an appropriate symmetric label
and sends it via the LABEL object in the Resv message. The upstream
node would then start using this symmetric label for both directions
of the LSP. If the downstream node cannot pick the symmetric label,
it MUST issue a PathErr message with a "Routing Problem/Unacceptable
Label Value" indication. If the upstream node that signals an
Unassigned Upstream Label receives a label with the "all-ones"
pattern or any other unacceptable label in the LABEL object of the
Resv message, it MUST issue a ResvErr message with a "Routing
Problem/Unacceptable Label Value" indication.
The upstream node will continue to signal the Unassigned Upstream
Label in the Path message even after it receives an appropriate
symmetric label in the Resv message. This is done to make sure that
the downstream node would pick a different symmetric label if and
when it needs to change the label at a later time. If the upstream
node receives an unacceptable changed label, then it MUST issue a
ResvErr message with a "Routing Problem/Unacceptable Label Value"
indication.
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RFC 8359 Network Assigned Upstream-Label March 2018
+----------+ +------------+
---| Upstream |--------------------| Downstream |---
+----------+ +------------+
Path
Upstream Label (Unassigned)
Label-Set (L1, L2 ... Ln)
------------------->
Resv
Label (Assigned - L2)
<-------------------
Figure 2: Signaling Sequence
3.2. Backwards Compatibility
If the downstream node is running an implementation that doesn't
support the semantics of an Unassigned UPSTREAM LABEL, it will either
(a) reject the special label value and generate an error as specified
in Section 3.1 of [RFC3473] or (b) accept it and treat it as a valid
label.
If the behavior that is exhibited is (a), then there are no backwards
compatibility concerns. If the behavior that is exhibited is (b),
then the downstream node will send a label with the "all-ones"
pattern in the LABEL object of the Resv message. In response, the
upstream node will issue a ResvErr message with a "Routing Problem/
Unacceptable Label Value" indication.
4. Use-Case: Wavelength Setup for IP over Optical Networks
Consider the network topology depicted in Figure 3. Nodes A and B
are client IP routers that are connected to an optical Wavelength
Division Multiplexing (WDM) transport network. F and I represent WDM
nodes. The transponder sits on the router and is directly connected
to the add-drop port on a WDM node.
The optical signal originating on "Router A" is tuned to a particular
wavelength. On "WDM-Node F", it gets multiplexed with optical
signals at other wavelengths. Depending on the implementation of
this multiplexing function, it may not be acceptable to have the
router send the signal into the optical network unless it is at the
appropriate wavelength. In other words, having the router send
signals with a wrong wavelength may adversely impact existing optical
trails. If the clients do not have full visibility into the optical
network, they are not in a position to pick the correct wavelength in
advance.
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RFC 8359 Network Assigned Upstream-Label March 2018
The rest of this section examines how the protocol mechanism proposed
in this document allows the optical network to select and communicate
the correct wavelength to its clients.
4.1. Initial Setup
+---+ /-\ /-\ +---+
| A |----------------( F ) ~~~~~~~~~ ( I )----------------| B |
+---+ \-/ \-/ +---+
Path
Upstream Label (Unassigned/0xFFFFFFFF)
--------------------->
-- ~~ -- ~~ -->
Path
-------------------->
Resv
<--------------------
<-- ~~ -- ~~ --
Resv
Label (Assigned)
<---------------------
Figure 3: Initial Setup Sequence
Steps:
o "Router A" does not have enough information to pick an appropriate
client wavelength. It sends a Path message downstream requesting
the network to assign an appropriate symmetric label for its use.
Since the client wavelength is unknown, the laser is off at the
ingress client.
o The downstream node (Node F) receives the Path message, chooses
the appropriate wavelength values, and forwards them in
appropriate label fields to the egress client ("Router B").
o "Router B" receives the Path message, turns the laser ON and tunes
it to the appropriate wavelength (received in the UPSTREAM_LABEL/
LABEL_SET of the Path) and sends a Resv message upstream.
o The Resv message received by the ingress client carries a valid
symmetric label in the LABEL object. "Router A" turns on the
laser and tunes it to the wavelength specified in the network
assigned symmetric LABEL.
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RFC 8359 Network Assigned Upstream-Label March 2018
For cases where the egress-node relies on RSVP signaling to determine
exactly when to start using the LSP, implementations may choose to
integrate the above sequence with any of the existing graceful setup
procedures:
o "ResvConf" setup procedure ([RFC2205])
o Two-step "ADMIN STATUS" based setup procedure ("A" bit set in the
first step; "A" bit cleared when the LSP is ready for use)
([RFC3473])
4.2. Wavelength Change
After the LSP is set up, the network may decide to change the
wavelength for the given LSP. This could be for a variety of reasons
including policy reasons, restoration within the core, preemption,
etc.
In such a scenario, if the ingress client receives a changed label
via the LABEL object in a modified Resv message, it retunes the laser
at the ingress to the new wavelength. Similarly, if the egress
client receives a changed label via UPSTREAM_LABEL/LABEL_SET in a
modified Path message, it retunes the laser at the egress to the new
wavelength.
5. IANA Considerations
IANA maintains the "Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching
(GMPLS) Signaling Parameters" registry. IANA has added a new
subregistry titled "Special Purpose Generalized Label Values". New
values are assigned according to Standards Action [RFC8126].
Special Purpose Generalized Label Values
Pattern/ Label Name Applicable Reference
Value Objects
-------- ---------------- -------------- ----------
all-ones Unassigned UPSTREAM_LABEL [RFC8359]
Upstream Label
6. Security Considerations
This document defines a special label value to be carried in the
UPSTREAM_LABEL object of a Path message. This special label value is
used to enable the function of requesting network assignment of an
upstream label. The changes proposed in this document pertain to the
semantics of a specific field in an existing RSVP object and the
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